Previously, the Hovot HaLevavot revealed to us that there are people who want to make money just to get honor. As we have discussed, that is a never-ending chase. Now the Hovot HaLevavot asks why people make the mistake of thinking that with money comes honor.
He explains that it’s because in the world we live in, people see that those with money get respect, so therefore, they want the money in order to get the (false) respect as well.
Why does this happen?
This is a deep-rooted problem, he says. People think that if they respect those with money, then somehow, they’ll get some of that money. So people aren’t really respecting the (wealthy) person, they are just trying to get some of the person’s money. This may be a blow to the wealthy person’s ego; They aren’t truly respected; the people are only after their money. This is the underlying reason that people respect the wealthy, and it is a mistake. The whole premise is based on lack of Bitachon, explains the Hovot HaLevavot. The people respecting the wealthy man don’t realize that they can’t get anything, money or otherwise, from that man unless G-d decreed it. The line of thinking, “If I’m extra nice to this guy maybe he’ll invite me on his bar mitzvah trip to Israel,” is flawed. You’ll only get to Israel if it was decreed by G-d on Rosh Hashana. It won’t be because you were nice to that man. Maybe you’ll go on your own trip, or maybe, because you’ll go as his guest instead of meriting to take your family with your own money, because you were so busy trying to be nice.
Don’t make that mistake.
At the same time, however, we can’t ignore the Gemarah. In Masechet Eruvin ( פו, א ) the Gemarah tells us:
רבי מכבד עשירים, רבי עקיבא מכבד עשירים
Rebbe respected wealthy people, Rabbi Akiva respected wealthy people.
The great Rabbenu HaKaddosh and Rabbi Akiva both respected wealthy people. So, we are supposed to respect wealthy people.
But Sefer Kav HaYashar פרק סה) ) explains that Rebbe and Rabbi Akiva didn’t only respect wealthy people, they respected Torah scholars and other upright Jews as well.
Furthermore, the Pele Yoetz explains that wealthy do deserve respect, for the following reasons:
The Pele Yoetz says that if G-d made someone wealthy, it may be that he has a zechut.
Additionally, we respect him because either we may be benefitting from him in some way, or he’s doing other good deeds. If someone is paying the shul’s electric bill, for example, he deserves respect. He’s doing good deeds and needs to be respected for that.
But it’s not because we want to get something out of him. It’s because he does good deeds. And we respect all people who do good. It’s not only the money.
The Hovot HaLevavot tells us to adjust our outlook on respect, and ask ourselves sometimes, “Why am I respecting this person?”
Yes, it’s true that rabbis (myself included) respect wealthy people. If someone gives me money for my institution, I owe him respect.
But this doesn’t mean that he’s the only person that gets respect, and it doesn’t mean it will make a difference in what will happen to me. It’s respect for the right reasons.
This is an internal check we must do for ourselves. No one else knows why we are giving someone respect. Do we do it because we want to get something from the person or is it because we realize all the good that they’re doing?
Regardless, people don’t necessarily see these internal reasons. They just see that money equals respect, and they want respect- therefore they want money.
We have to remember though:
העושר וכבוד מלפניך
Wealth and honor come from G-d.
So, a person can have a lot of money and get zero respect. All his money can bring him a lack of respect.
We can go back to Ahashverosh for an example of this. He thought that all his money and his party, would bring him honor, but his wife made him into a disgrace and a laughingstock.
Money is perceived to bring respect but it doesn’t necessarily bring it.
We shouldn’t chase money to get respect, and we shouldn’t respect people in order to get their money.
That’s the Hovot HaLevavot’s piece on how to view wealth and how to view respect of wealth.
Have a great day.